A New Destiny
by aureliasparks
Summary: Draco Malfoy plays a larger role than anyone ever expected in the war against Voldemort. Merlin's new destiny is to guide him on the right path.
1. Prologue

Centuries had not dulled the sharp pain of losing his best friend.

_"Only for you, my lord," Merlin had vowed, wincing at the horror and betrayal in Arthur's eyes. He had almost wanted to laugh – after years of hiding his magic, the one time Arthur catches him is when he is trying to finish a litany of chores. "I swear, my magic is for you and the good of Camelot only."_

Arthur decided that what was best for Camelot was Merlin's banishment_._

Merlin never really left. He protected from afar, intervening whenever his king was threatened by magical and nonmagical foes alike. Whenever a particularly stroke of good fortune occurred, Arthur would close himself off from everyone else for days, cold and distant. Merlin would watch, knowing he was the one who broke the king's trust.

But Merlin comforted himself with the fact that Arthur never betrayed Merlin's secret. Arthur told the others he had drowned in a river during a bandit attack. No questions arose, though Gwaine punched Arthur hard in the jaw and left the king's service.

Right before Arthur died, he finally forgave Merlin and accepted him for who he was. Even so, Merlin never used magic again. Instead, he released the built-up energy into the earth and the ruins of Camelot became the richest forests ever known, guarded by thick layers of wild magic.

As the years passed and everyone he knew had died, Merlin retreated into the woods to await his king's return.

_No matter how long you take, I will always be here._

**This is my first attempt ever at writing fanfiction, so please review and let me know if I'm doing anything wrong!**


	2. Chapter 1

Merlin opened his eyes and grimaced. A pounding headache that made him feel like someone had taken a hammer to his brain caused him to close his eyes again. He felt a strange sense of loss for a reason, which quickly dissipated as the orphanage matron poked her head in through the door.

"Merlin? Merlin, dear, there's a man here to see you. Get up now, there's a good lad," Mrs. Cole said, roughly pulling him to his feet and throwing him a pile of clothes before hurrying off. It's not that she doesn't care for the orphans; there's just too much to do in taking care of fifty children at once.

Merlin quickly dressed in the drab gray clothes, and, after pausing to wash his face and comb his hair with his fingers, hurried off to the visiting room. He stopped in surprise as he saw a very old man with a long silver beard and wearing a truly abominable mauve suit.

"Ah, Merlin, is it?" the old man says, a twinkle in his sharp blue eyes. "I am Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have come to tell you that you have been offered a place at my school."

Merlin felt a strange flicker of panic that the man was talking about magic so lightly. He could get killed for that.

Couldn't he?

His fierce headache resumed, as his mind seemed to wage war on itself. A lingering voice whispered, _ Just relax, Emrys. You are an eleven-year-old orphan who does not know that he has magic. You will go to Hogwarts and find your destiny there. Do not bring any attention to yourself._

The soft familiar touch on his magic seemed to ground Merlin. He let his eyes widen in wonder and said, "W-witchcraft and wizardry? Do you mean... magic?"

"Indeed, Mr. Havens." Dumbledore smiled down at him. "I must say that you were rather aptly named for your gift."

Merlin bit his lip, though mostly in mild confusion about his last name. "But, sir, I don't have magic."

"Don't you?" Dumbledore asked gently. "Think back. Haven't strange things ever occurred to you before? Objects floating around you, for example?"

The hint burst forward a series of almost hidden memories, in which his childhood best friend fell from a tree but hovered a few inches above the ground before slowly dropping to rest on the dirt. Will had thought he was descended from the gods, but the next time he tried to launch himself a tree, he had broken his arm.

Dumbledore could see from Merlin's expression that he understood. "I can show you if you would like," he offered. At Merlin's nod, Dumbledore drew his wand. It seemed rather small and plain to Merlin, who pictured a wizard to carry around a large gnarled staff with a precious jewel embedded at the top.

He had to admit that the thin stick must be more convenient to carry around though.

Dumbledore muttered a few words and flicked his wand. One of the pink erasers on Mrs. Cole's desk suddenly morphed into a ripe strawberry.

"Wow, can I eat it?" Merlin said eagerly, reaching for the delicious-looking fruit.

Dumbledore chuckled and shook his head, much to Merlin's disappointment. "It is just an imitation. As you will learn in Hogwarts, one of the laws of Transfiguration is that no wizard can create food. That is, if you agree to come."

"If you would have me, I would love to, sir," Merlin said honestly, thrilled at the chance of learning more magic.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore presented him with a letter made of a thick yellow paper. "You will find all necessary information in there. As you do not seem to have any living magical relations, one of the school professors will come back later this week to take you to buy your supplies." When he sees Merlin open his mouth, Dumbledore adds, "You will be given an allowance to buy what you need. If you buy your robes and books secondhand, you should have no problem."

"Thank you, sir, I look forward to the trip," Merlin said, taking the letter and vowing to memorize it by heart later.

Sure enough, three days later, Mrs. Cole woke Merlin up early by throwing a pile of clean clothes at him. This time, Merlin stumbled through the motions of dressing and washing up. After reading the informational letter, Merlin had been too excited to sleep properly the past few days.

When he rushed into the visiting room, he was confronted with a intimidating-looking man, who had long black locks of hair that did nothing for the shape of his rather beaky nose. This man looked much less friendly and inviting than Professor Dumbledore did.

"Mr. Merlin Havens, is it?" he sneered, a smirk twisting his lips. "How... convenient that your muggle relations named you so."

The man's mocking tone rubbed Merlin the wrong way. He forced himself not to betray his true feelings. "Indeed, sir," Merlin said, inclining his head and keeping his face expressionless. "If I may be so rude as to ask who I am addressing?"

The man looked taken aback by his words. _Good_, Merlin thought triumphantly. _I will not let you make my school experience a misery._

"I am Professor Snape, the Potions Master at Hogwarts," the man said finally, his tone neutral once more.

"I would like to express my gratitude that you would take time out of your busy schedule to escort me, sir," Merlin continued, secretly grinning to himself as Professor Snape looked distinctly more uncomfortable. "I hope that I will not waste too much of your time."

"Mr. Havens, do not remain under the impression that this is voluntary," Snape said sharply, though he looked more discomfited than annoyed. "I assure you, had the headmaster demanded that all the staff take turns assisting first-year students, I would most definitely not be present."

Snape expected Merlin to glare at him, or at least be subdued. However, instead of looking offended or upset at Snape's harsh words, Merlin flashed him a bright smile. "As long as we're on the same page, Professor," Merlin said cheerfully and walked out the room first, tripping on the doorway.

Snape decided that they needed to go to Diagon Alley immediately so the trip would be over soon. If he had to spend any more time in this... infernal monster's presence, he would get whiplash.

Snape was simultaneously disturbed and mildly impressed by how calmly Merlin was taking the sight of Diagon Alley. He supposed the Leaky Cauldron was just like any other pub (aside from the vampire sipping a martini filled with a blood-colored liquid and the two hags arguing over what looked like a unicorn horn), but surely he would be at least a little awed by the shifting stones that led to Diagon Alley? At least he wasn't gawping like an ogre the way other students had in past years.

Instead, Merlin navigated the crowded streets with remarkable ease, considering how he was more than a head shorter than most of the other customers.

When Dumbledore had first told him about the charming young boy at the orphanage, Snape had imagined the new pupil to be similar to James Potter. After all, everyone had adored the handsome and talented Gryffindor seeker.

But Merlin proved to be nothing like Potter. If anything, Merlin's unfailing manners as well as his ability to hide his emotions made him a perfect candidate for the subtle environment of the Slytherin House. Of course, no muggleborn had ever been Sorted into Slytherin, so the chances were practically nonexistent...

Merlin himself was oblivious to the thoughts running through the professor's head. Instead, he contented himself with sneaking glances at the multitude of shops all around him as well as the rather interesting people he was passing. It seemed like he was not the only other student shopping for school supplies, as he saw many students around his age with their families.

They stopped first in front of a huge towering building made of pure white marble. Across the top of the huge polished wooden doors read in golden letters: "Gringotts Bank". Two guards on either side of the doors held a long unusual device that exuded so much magic that Merlin was surprised nobody else paid attention to them.

"What are those guards holding, Professor?" Merlin asked.

"Probes to detect any hidden enchantments, disguises, or Dark objects," Snape said after a moment of hesitation.

Merlin nodded and stored this tidbit of information in his brain, in case it ever came to the point that he needed to rob the bank in the future.

Once inside, he saw short strange creatures manning the counters.

"Goblins," Snape muttered to him. Merlin shot a surprised look at his helpful comment, but Snape ignored him and swept his way up to the first counter.

A quick glance around the room showed a very open space, though Merlin wondered what other security measures were in place that would prevent someone from stealing, say, that huge stack of gold coins a goblin was methodically counting.

Snape handed the goblin an intricate looking silver key before turning around and walking out the door. The goblin didn't even look at Merlin, his full attention on the key.

Merlin was dying to ask what just happened, but wasn't quite sure how Snape would respond to the question. Luckily, as they walked through the streets of Diagon Alley, Snape relented.

"Mr. Havens, you are thinking so hard I can see steam coming out of your ears," Snape said dryly. Merlin smiled sheepishly at him, but said nothing, merely waiting for Snape to continue. "That key does not belong to me. I was asked by the headmaster to return it to Gringotts. For what reason I will not say."

A very unsatisfactory answer, but Merlin didn't pursue it further as they were coming to their first shop. After handing him a small bag of coins and explaining the different currency, Snape told him to get everything on the list and to wait outside if Snape wasn't back by the time he was done.

When Merlin went in to buy his secondhand supplies, he met another boy his age with flaming red-hair and a face about the same color as he tried to escape his mother's smothering. After a couple of friendly exchanges in which Merlin learned about the four Hogwarts Houses and how Gryffindor was the best, Merlin bought his items and left the boy to deal with his mother's endless shopping enthusiasm.

By the time Merlin staggered outside under the weight of all his bags, Snape was waiting outside. Merlin noticed the rather strange lump that had appeared in Snape's right pocket, but didn't ask. If Snape wanted to share what he had been doing, he would have told Merlin.

Merlin didn't care (that much) about what Snape had been doing, but he was a little peeved that Snape expected him to maintain a fast walking pace with all his supplies. Snape disappeared into the crowd in the time it took Merlin to readjust his grip on his bags, which were causing his hand to go numb.

With everyone being taller than him, Merlin quickly gave up on finding Snape in the crowd. Instead, he wandered into the nearest shop, which happened to be some kind of pet store.

A small furry ball quickly drew his attention. The plaque told him it was a "Kneazle: Just 3 galleons!" He frowned and squinted at the golden-furred animal. Something about it was _off_, and it was giving him a headache.

"Ah, you've found poor Kilgra," the shop owner exclaimed, bustling over to where Merlin was trying to clutch his head without looking like a nut case.

"He is adorable," Merlin responded politely, though quite sure he didn't want a pet whose appearance made him want to throw up.

Upon hearing Merlin's voice, Kilgra uncurled and meowed pointedly at Merlin. Merlin suddenly found his headache to have disappeared, and glared distrustfully at the cat.

The shop owner, on the other hand, looked delighted. "That's the first time Kilgra has responded to a customer! He's been here for _ages_, and nobody has even been interested in him. He is rather unordinary though, kneazles are generally much larger. But he's a darling, aren't you?" She cooed at the disgruntled animal.

Kilgra meowed plaintively at Merlin, as if demanding to be rescued. Merlin just glared back at him.

Just the same, a minute later, Merlin walked out of the store with a small golden cat wound around his shoulders and three galleons lighter.

Snape was furious to say the least.

At first, the trip wasn't as bad as he expected. No sassy backtalk, no dumb questions, no inane chatter. Very unlike the majority of his pupils.

Then, the idiot gets himself lost.

The worst part was Snape couldn't even fully blame Merlin. Snape had been so frustrated with Albus's foolhardy plan of hiding the Philosopher's Stone that he didn't really pay attention to the young boy. Not to mention that he was currently carrying said stone along during Merlin's shopping trip. While his mind was consumed with the glowing beacon signalling the Dark Lord to come take his chances at Hogwarts, he didn't notice the boy was out of sight until he turned around at the wall entering Diagon Alley.

Snape sighed and backtracked down the street. Right when he was about to admit to himself he was a little concerned about the mountain of paperwork involved in losing a student, he saw Merlin's dark mop of hair floating amidst the crowd.

"Havens!" he snarled.

Merlin's head snapped towards him, and Snape caught sight of a grin before he was lost from view. A couple of seconds, Merlin appeared, bringing with him a rather nasty surprise.

"Mr. Havens," Snape said slowly, actually hoping he was hallucinating because the alternative was so much worse. "Where on earth did you get - ?"

"Kilgra?" Merlin asked cheerfully. "At the Eeylops Owl Emporium. Isn't he adorable?"

Well, it seemed like Merlin was not going to be in Slytherin. With his golden _cat_ and clearly tenuous grasp of basic vocabulary, he was definitely a Gryffindor. "I see," Snape said. "If you're done wasting my time, I would like to get rid of you as soon as possible."

The _cat_ hissed at Snape viciously, making him feel rather vindictive. He wasn't even sure why he disliked it so much, but there was definitely something strange about it. Maybe just because it was all gold, fur and eyes. Or maybe it was because it looked like a kneazle, if a kneazle had been shrunk to about half its size. It was unnatural.

Merlin just beamed at him. "If you're done having a staring contest with Kilgra," he began.

Snape gave him a positively murderous look before whipping around in a swirl of black robes. He distinctly heard Merlin telling his _thing_, "Don't worry, you were winning anyways."

**Thanks everyone for giving this a chance! :) Please review, and I apologize for any mistakes I've made. I would also love to hear any ideas or requests you may have.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much to those who have reviewed this! I know this sounds cliche, but your comments made my day :) **

Merlin spent the week until September 1 poring over his new books and playing with Kilgra. For some reason, the other orphans acted like he didn't exist. Although his questions would be answered, no one initiated a conversation with him. It wasn't even malevolent, or Merlin would feel even more lonely than he already was. Instead, it seemed like they couldn't really see him or didn't really care. Their eyes were blank and dazed whenever they passed over Merlin, similar to the way they looked at Kilgra.

At least his books were interesting. A strange wistful feeling had swept over him as he had looked at the covers, as if he was fulfilling a forgotten childhood dream. The feeling quickly disappeared, leaving Merlin feeling more empty than ever, but the sheer amount of knowledge amazed him.

In bed on the night of August 31, Merlin suddenly realized that he didn't have a clue as to how to get to Hogwarts. Even if it was in walking distance, there weren't exactly signs telling him how to get there. As a result, Merlin spent a sleepless night imagining all the consequences of not showing up on the first day of school.

The next morning though, he answered the doorbell to find Professor Snape, looking wildly out of place in his dark robes.

"Oh, hey, P-Pr-Professor." Merlin yawned widely but grinned.

"Hurry up, or you'll miss the train," Professor Snape snapped.

Merlin had to think a while before his mind came up with the mental image of a train. "A _train_? Why in God's name would there be a – okay, okay, I'm going," he said in response to Professor Snape's pointed glare.

Merlin ran upstairs, tripping and almost falling down before catching himself. He lugged his trunk down the stairs much more slowly, yelling goodbyes over his shoulder. He did his best to ignore the stab of hurt that nobody responded.

"So, how are we getting to the train station?" he said, holding out his arms so Kilgra could jump on his shoulder.

"Disapparating," Professor Snape said. "It's –"

"Basically disappearing and reappearing somewhere else," Merlin said.

Professor Snape scowled. "I will not tolerate interruptions, Mr. Havens." Then, he paused. "Though I would like to know how you came about that information."

Merlin frowned, reaching up to rub his suddenly aching head. "I don't know, maybe I read it in one of my textbooks?"

Professor Snape gave him a rather unusual look. Merlin couldn't tell whether it was shock that he actually read the textbooks or whether it sounded like a blatant lie. As for the latter, Merlin was completely sure none of his books mentioned Apparition, but since he didn't really know, his answer would have to do.

"Very well," Professor Snape said at last. "Let us depart, Mr. Havens. Grab onto my arm."

Merlin did so, feeling exceedingly silly clutching onto Professor Snape's arm. Professor Snape just glanced around before twisting in the air.

Suddenly, they were both on a train platform, surrounded by families and shouting children. Merlin looked around in awe, as Kilgra hissed his displeasure at the experience. He saw a red-haired family clustered in a group, all peering curiously at a small dark-haired boy and his father. Merlin noticed with a sudden jolt that the boy had a curious triskelion-shaped scar on his forehead, the spirals turning in a clockwise direction. Seeing that shape triggered a memory his head struggled to retrieve, resulting in a now familiar aching pain.

"Where do I go–" Merlin turned around to find Professor Snape nowhere in sight. _Brilliant. Real helpful of you, Professor._

He sighed and looked down at his heavy trunk in disgust only to find a rather large toad perched on it, regarding him calmly. Suddenly, a hand shot out with surprising speed and snatched the poor animal in a deathlike grip.

"Gotcha, Trevor!" a boy crowed in triumph over the toad's rather mournful croak.

"Loosen your grip a little before Trevor suffocates," Merlin advised in a friendly manner.

"Oh, right," the boy said. He unclenched his hands slightly, and the toad's eyes stopped bulging out alarmingly. "Hi, I'm Neville Longbottom. Nice cat."

"Merlin Havens," Merlin said as Kilgra hissed at Neville. Merlin got the feeling that Kilgra didn't like being called a cat anymore than a wolf would like being called a puppy.

Neville looked unsure as to whether he should laugh or gawk. "Ah, M-Merlin? Like the most famous warlock in history who founded the wizarding world?"

"What?" That sounded incredibly wrong to Merlin for some reason, but Neville gave him a strange look so he just went with it. "Um, yeah, I guess. I don't know."

Neville's eyes widened in understanding. "You're muggle-born, aren't you?"

"I don't know. My parents died long ago, so I was raised in a muggle orphanage," Merlin said wearily. Neville opened his mouth as if he wanted to apologize, so Merlin quickly said, "Listen, why don't we talk more about this on the train? I really would not like to miss it."

As if to prove his point, the train let out a rather musical whistle, signalling there was only five more minutes before it left. Neville nodded and turned to wave goodbye to a rather elderly lady who nevertheless looked like a formidable opponent. Then, Neville and Merlin lugged their trunks to the baggage area and helped each other lift them in.

On the train, they found an empty compartment. Merlin, sensing danger, immediately closed the compartment door. Just in time for Neville had loosened his grip on Trevor, who instantly made a bid for freedom with a deafening croak. Instead of landing in the main alley and having access to the rest of the train, Trevor hit the compartment door with a splat and dropped to the floor in defeat. Kilgra jumped down lightly and nudged the toad with his nose. Then, he padded over to Neville and scratched him hard on the leg.

"Ow!"

"Kilgra!" Merlin picked up his strange kneazle and glared at it. "No scratching my friends! Are you okay, Neville?"

"Yeah, but what was that for?" Neville demanded of the kneazle. "I didn't do anything!"

Merlin glanced down at Kilgra. For some reason, he got the feeling that his pet was merely trying to protect the welfare of a fellow pet.

"Um, I think he's protesting your treatment of Trevor," Merlin said. "How exactly do you take care of him?"

For the next hour or so, Neville recited his truly appalling ideas of what constitutes good toad care while Merlin's jaw dropped further and further before he rushed to correct Neville. _Did this boy have no common sense? Even a four-year-old could tell you that toads would enjoy wet areas instead of sawdust! _Meanwhile, Kilgra and Trevor seemed to be holding a silent staring contest.

Just the same, Neville and Merlin bonded over this rather unusual conversation topic until a woman pushing a food trolley opened the compartment door. "Any sweets for – oh my goodness!"

Several things happened in succession. Trevor, recognizing an opportunity for its worth, made a spectacular bound and hopped onto the poor woman's head before jumping out of reach. Neville yelled "Trevor!" and barrelled out of the compartment, shoving past the woman and making her hat fall off. Kilgra looked at Merlin with a smug smile on his feline face.

Thinking dark thoughts at his pet, Merlin picked up the lady's hat, apologising profusely for Neville. She smiled indulgently at him and told him to go after his friend before he gets himself hurt. Merlin, thinking it quite sound advice, sprinted down the train.

Merlin found himself with Neville going around to every single compartment, asking if anybody had seen a toad. He was sure there had to be a better way than searching by hand, but since he wasn't sure what kind of magic would be deemed acceptable, he decided to play it safe. After all, the Old Religion clearly didn't want him to stand out.

Most people looked either disinterested or amused, but they all shook their heads. Merlin knocked on the compartment towards the end of the train, Neville trailing behind him, looking disheartened. There were only a couple more that they haven't tried yet.

A huge hulking boy shoved the door open and stared at them gormlessly. "Who're you?" he asked.

"Merlin Havens. Have any of you seen a toad by any chance? Neville here lost his." Merlin looked back at Neville only to find the boy frantically shaking his head and gesturing for them to leave.

"A toad?" a mocking voice asked. "Who would bring a _toad _to Hogwarts?" The large boy who opened the door stepped aside to reveal a lithe blond-haired boy with silver eyes.

"Hey, toads are useful," Merlin said, seeing a scowl beginning to appear on Neville's face. "Don't you know how toads assist in the making of potions? They naturally exude the magic necessary to bring all the ingredients together."

"That must be why my great-uncle wanted me to bring Trevor," Neville said thoughtfully. "I heard the Potions Master at Hogwarts is super strict and mean against Gryffindors, so I asked how to get better at Potions. I was wondering why he decided to give me a toad for my birthday."

The blond-haired boy smirked. "Wise choice, Longbottom, but with your brains and magical talent, no creature can help you escape Professor Snape's wrath."

Neville looked simultaneously angry and horrified. Merlin decided they were done talking to this boy. "Right, well, if you're not going to be helpful, we're leaving," he said, grabbing Neville's arm and towing him away.

Merlin rapped on the next compartment with a little more force than necessary. The red-haired boy from the platform opened the door and looked him up and down. Behind him were another three boys. "What do you want?"

"Hi, I'm Merlin Havens, nice to meet you too," Merlin said sarcastically. "Anyone see a toad? My friend Neville lost his."

"Neville? Neville _Longbottom_?" The boy with the triskelion scar appeared, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Harry Potter," Neville squeaked.

"Haven't found your pet yet? I'm not surprised nobody wants to help you, considering your family's cowardice," Harry said.

Neville looked rather stricken by this statement, and he opened and closed his mouth wordlessly. Although previously intrigued by the boy's scar, Merlin now found himself more willing to strangle Harry into unconsciousness. Merlin decided to blame his unusually violent thoughts on his lack of sleep the previous night.

"What the hell are you talking about? Actually, never mind. All we want to know is whether you've seen a toad or not," Merlin snapped, feeling his patience take a dive down the drain.

Harry evidently decided to hear only the first part of what Merlin said. "You don't know yet? Hasn't Neville told you about how his family killed my mother?" Harry hissed, his bright green eyes filled with passionate anger.

"Did _Neville _kill your mother?" Merlin demanded bluntly.

"What? No, but–"

What was it with people blaming the children for the sins of the parents? "Right, well then I don't care," Merlin said over Harry's protests. "Neville is his own person, and I'm not going to judge him for what his family has or has not done, especially before I know all the facts. And I'm definitely not getting those facts from a prat like you."

With that, Merlin turned on his heel and walked away, dragging Neville behind him and feeling pretty proud of himself for not punching Harry in the face.

"Oi, Merlin, wait up!"

Merlin took a deep breath and turned around again only to find a bushy-haired girl beaming at him, revealing a very prominent set of front teeth. "Uh, hi," Merlin said, though it came out sounding more like a question.

"I heard what you said," the girl said. "I just wanted to let you know that I completely agree with your logic. I'm Hermione Granger. Oh, and also, Neville, here's your toad."

"Trevor!"

Merlin let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God, I was worried he hopped off the train or something." At that moment, Kilgra appeared, winding around Merlin's ankles before climbing him like a tree. Merlin winced as sharp nails dug into his skin.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Is that a kneazle? It's a bit small, I've read that they're supposed to be much larger than cats, but it does have the characteristic lion tail."

"_He_ has a lion tail," Merlin corrected, when Kilgra made his displeasure known by unsheathing his claws into Merlin's shoulder. "And yes, Kilgra's a kneazle. I think."

"Oh, sorry Kilgra," Hermione said. She looked at Neville and Merlin. "You two had better get changed soon. We're arriving in three minutes."

"Merlin, come on, we're going to get detention if we don't change out of our Muggle clothing!"

The two boys raced away, leaving her to shake her head in amusement.

**After reading someone's review, I apologize to any of you who may be disappointed based on my extremely bad summary. I swear, Draco will show up a lot more soon. ;) I would love feedback in any shape or form (but please remember that I am a human being with functioning emotions).**


	4. Chapter 3

**I forgot to say this before, but none of this belongs to me. All credit goes to BBC and JKR.**

Along with the other first years, Merlin, Neville and Hermione followed a very large man called Hagrid to a black lake. After stepping into a boat and nearly falling out before Hermione grabbed his arm, Merlin watched enviously as the older students climbed into carriages. Even if the horses pulling them had leathery wings and a skeletal structure giving them a downright sinister feel, at least it would be warm.

_Warmer than on the lake, anyways_, thought Merlin, as the wind whipped through their clothing and chilling them to the bone. He, Hermione, Neville and a girl called Susan Bones who had joined them looked up at the huge, glittering castle in silence.

Once they were inside, a stern-looking professor appeared. Merlin stared at her. He could almost swear that he could see the very faint outlines of cat ears and whiskers on her face, but when he blinked again, they were gone.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, everyone. My name is Professor McGonagall," the woman said. "In a moment, you will be Sorted into one of four houses: Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or my own, Gryffindor. While you are here at Hogwarts, any successes will be rewarded with House points, but rule-breaking will result in losing points. The House with the most points at the end of the year will be awarded the House Cup."

As Professor McGonagall talked, Neville's face grew paler and paler. Before Merlin could ask him whether he was okay, Professor McGonagall said, "Follow me."

She knocked three times on a set of tall wooden doors inlaid with gold lettering. The doors slowly creaked open on their own accord, and Professor McGonagall swept through them immediately. They all rushed to follow her, stumbling as they gaped around them in awe.

Floating candles lit the Great Hall, which was set with four tables for each of the Houses and one at the top for the professors. Merlin saw Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape, but didn't recognize any of the others.

Looking up, Merlin was shocked to see the night sky, delicately sprinkled with silver stars. He heard Hermione hiss to no one in particular that according to "Hogwarts, a History", the ceiling was enchanted.

Professor McGonagall walked up to a stool in the front of the room, on which a raggedy-old hat sat. The first-year students all stared at it, wondering how they would be Sorted and why on earth the older students were staring at such an unremarkable article of clothing.

Then, a crack opened at the brim and the hat sang:

"I may be just a piece of cloth,

But don't think I'm not smart.

I will Sort you based on what,

I feel is in your heart.

If you belong in Gryffindor,

You're daring above all,

You will show your courage through,

your actions, large and small.

Hufflepuff's abound with those,

With loyalty and patience,

They will toil through hard work

With quiet diligence.

Those who belong in Ravenclaw,

Value wisdom as man's treasure,

But these keen minds still understand,

That knowledge can't be measured.

Slytherin will guide you to,

Fulfill your strongest desire,

Ambition, cunning and true friends,

Will be shown by golden fire.

Give me a chance, even if,

You simply don't believe me,

I'll have a look and let you know,

Where you ought to be!"

There was a moment of silence before the Hall burst into applause. Merlin saw the older students and the staff whispering to each other, and he caught phrases such as "golden fire" and "crazy".

Professor Dumbledore stood up and everyone immediately settled down. "Now that we've heard from the wisest of us all, let the Sorting begin!"

Merlin heard a couple of other people murmur words that sounded suspiciously like "insane" and "completely off his rocker". Professor McGonagall's glare silenced them once more. She took out a very long scroll, put on a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, and said loudly, "Abbott, Hannah."

A blond girl walked up to the stool and sat down, clearly trembling with nerves. She stared apprehensively at the hat, and hesitated as Professor McGonagall tried to hand it to her. When she put it on, nothing happened for a moment. Then,

"Hufflepuff!"

The table to the left exploded with cheers and applause, while the rest of the Hall clapped politely. It took a minute before Professor McGonagall called out the next name, and Merlin thought despairingly that he was going to starve before the Sorting was over. None of the following students took too long to Sort, except for Hermione; the hat took a while before declaring her a Gryffindor.

He was busy dreaming about different foods he wanted to eat when suddenly, "Havens, Merlin" sounded in his ears. As he was walking up to the stool, his infamous clumsiness made an appearance and he tripped, nearly falling flat on his face. A titter ran through the room, and he could feel his face grow warm. When Merlin sat down on the stool, Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head, clearly not trusting him to handle the relic himself.

Merlin sat there, the brim of the hat covering his view of the Hall. Were they still laughing at him? Not that he would mind that much, but it was kind of strange how he couldn't hear anything right now. He wondered what House he would be in. Slytherin wouldn't be too bad, because he was apparently here to find his destiny. Some guidance would be nice.

Suddenly, he realized that the Hat hadn't shouted out its choice yet. He frowned and took the hat off.

"How long does it take for the Hat to make a decision?" he whispered to Professor McGonagall, ignoring the loud mutters and incredulous stares.

Professor McGonagall gave him a strange look. "Do you not hear the Sorting Hat talking to you?"

He shook his head, giving her a blank look.

Her eyebrows shot up, and she walked over to talk quietly with Professor Dumbledore. Merlin sat there, feeling awkward as hundreds of eyes scrutinized him.

Finally, he decided to take matters into his own hands. He put the hat back on, and thought really hard, _Say Slytherin!_

"Slytherin!"

Rather shocked that it worked, Merlin took off the hat. Scattered applause rang through the halls, as most were still shooting him odd glances. Neville and Hermione both gave him a weak smile. When he looked up, the professors all had studiously blank faces, though he could have sworn that Professor Snape grimaced a little for some reason.

"Moving on with the Sorting," Professor McGonagall said decisively as Merlin made his way to the Slytherin table. He sat down at an empty spot, across from the two bulky boys with the blond boy from the train, and tried not to think about how much attention he just drew.

Before long, several more joined the Slytherin table, including the blond boy from before who was apparently called Draco Malfoy. "What happened with you?" Malfoy hissed at him.

Merlin shrugged, not really willing to talk to somebody about it. He just stared straight ahead until Blaise Zabini was Sorted into Slytherin. He couldn't help but wince a little though, when he saw that Neville was Sorted into Gryffindor along with Harry Potter and his other friends. At least Hermione was there, too.

"Right, before we indulge in the feast, I have a couple words I would like to say to you," Professor Dumbledore announced gravely. Merlin dropped his head onto his arms and groaned. "Nitwit, oddment, blubber and tweak."

Merlin was raising his head to give the headmaster an incredulous stare when platters of steaming food suddenly appeared on the table. While everybody else helped themselves, Merlin looked furtively at the food, wondering if it was safe to eat.

"Relax, we save the poisoning for the other Houses," Malfoy smirked as he piled his plate high.

Merlin didn't say anything, but he reached forward for some bread.

Dinner was mostly silent for Merlin, as he chose to listen rather than talk. His year mates all asked him what happened with the hat, but when he didn't answer, they didn't pry. Merlin had a feeling they would all be watching him though to see if he would slip up and reveal his secrets.

After dinner, the fifth-year prefects led the first-years to the Slytherin dorms, which happened to be the dungeons. The common room contained sleek leather couches and silver tables and chairs. The windows looked out to the bottom of the lake, casting everything in a forest green light.

The girl, Yureka Hanedo, was unusually attractive with her dark hair, golden complexion, and deep brown eyes. She said bluntly, "The password is lumosepherus. If you cannot remember the password or lose your way around the school, ask another Slytherin for help, but do not imagine the favor to come for free."

She smirked, an expression that gave Merlin a foreboding feeling. "I expect you all to earn Slytherin points. Anyone who shames our House will answer to me."

Cassius Warrington, the other prefect and apparently a chaser on the Quidditch team, chose to intimidate them all with his impressive body physique rather than iterate any threats. It worked just as well.

When nobody said anything, Hanedo smiled, though it seemed more predatory than friendly. "Excellent. Professor Snape?"

Merlin jumped when the professor silently appeared in front of them.

"There are rules I expect every Slytherin to follow," Professor Snape said slowly, his eyes sweeping over every single face. Merlin saw a couple of them gulp, but Malfoy's lips twitched upwards a little.

"First and foremost, there is to be no fighting within the House. I do not care what petty arguments and feuds you have – snakes do not turn on each other. Anyone who attracts my attention will not enjoy the results."

Merlin grinned to himself as he realized how similar Hanedo's threats were to Professor Snape's.

"Second, I fully expect you to keep out of trouble. Anyone who is punished by another teacher for breaking the rules will be further punished by me. That goes for keeping up with your studies as well.

"Finally, you are all to behave in a proper manner befitting Salazar's noble name. If you are unaware of the basics of etiquette, I strongly encourage you to find someone who will teach you before I decide to step in. Any questions?"

Dead silence.

"Good. Get some sleep." Professor Snape left with a billow of robes.

Merlin followed the other boys to the first-year dormitories. He discovered that he shared a room with Malfoy, a fact that the other boy wasn't too happy about either. However, both of them were too tired to do anything but send each other half-hearted glares before going to sleep.

**Thanks everyone for reading/reviewing/following! Please continue to do so :P**


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